Chatham Islands gets world-leading IoT network

The Chatham Islands have joined some of the most
technologically advanced places in the world thanks to the
completion of a brand new Internet of Things (IoT) network.

Progressively, all the world’s devices — such as
household appliances, smart gadgets, vehicles, and
agricultural monitoring tools — are being connected to the
internet.

This is the Internet of Things and it
allows devices to “talk” and “learn” from each other
so they can constantly improve their performance.

An
IoT network draws far less energy from devices connected to
it than an internet network, allowing devices to transmit
data for years without needing new batteries.

The IoT
network on the Chatham Islands has just been rolled out by
Wireless Nation, alongside a big upgrade to the islands’
satellite network which the residents rely on for internet.

Thanks to the upgrades, residents will have much
faster and more reliable internet, as well as all the
benefits of a dedicated IoT network. For the people and
businesses living on the islands, the upgrades are a game
changer.

“With reliable high speed internet
recognised as a basic human right given so much of our
day-to-day lives relies on access to data, the demand for
the service is growing,” Iain Torrance, Chatham Island
Trust Enterprise CEO, says.

“The Internet of Things
solution being trialled on the Chathams has potential to
deliver considerable benefits in a wide range of
environments.

“For example, we are piloting the
vehicle tracking capabilities of the Wireless Nation’s GPS
unit, the Fox Tracker, with a view to using it to help with
safety of our loan workers.”

Zariff Ali, Premium
Service Manager at Wireless Nation, says the network will
unlock a world of economic opportunities and greater safety
for the islanders.

“The IoT network deployment will
change the way the locals live each day by enabling them to
get feedback from the natural resources they rely on as
their main source of income,” Ali explains.

“Things like temperature sensors, humidity sensors,
soil moisture probes, and rain gauges can become invaluable
tools to smart resource management and efficiency when
they’re connected to the internet.

“Whether
it’s for farming or fishing, the Chatham Islands have
entered a new era of productivity with the IoT
network.”

Alongside increased productivity, the IoT
network comes with many benefits for the safety of people
and assets.

Wireless Nation’s recently launched Fox
Tracker is an inexpensive and small GPS device which can
constantly transmit its location for up to seven years on a
single charge.

“It will enable residents to track
their assets, such as boats, for greater peace of mind —
both for the owner when the boat is docked, and the
owners’ loved ones when he or she is out at sea,” Ali
says.

Wireless Nation Marketing Manager, Miro
Sudzum, says the infrastructure upgrade on the Chatham
Islands is all part of the company’s continued commitment
to rural New Zealand.

“The rollout on the Chatham
Islands is a great demonstration of the work we can do to
bring rural New Zealand into the 21st Century,” Sudzum
says.

“We’re proud of the work we’ve done here
and excited to roll out more IoT networks throughout
mainland New Zealand.”

In response to the challenges facing Scoop and the media industry we’ve instituted an Ethical Paywall to keep the news freely available to the public.
People who use Scoop for work need to be licensed through a ScoopPro subscription under this model, they also get access to exclusive news tools.

So Jacinda Ardern and Theresa May have signed a piece of paper promising peace in our time when it comes to our trade with Britain... Right now, a statement from Theresa May on Brexit has as much credibility as a statement by Donald Trump about North Korea’s plans for scrapping its nukes. Despite her recent crushing defeat in the Commons, May is continuing to playing chicken with Britain’s future, for personal and party advantage.

ALSO:

The latest Ministry of Social Development quarterly report show that a record number of people have received hardship assistance from work and income, with an additional 40,000 hardship payments made between September and December 2018, compared to the previous quarter of the same year... More>>

The needs of acute patients will be met during tomorrow's junior doctor strike, a DHB spokesperson says... Almost 3000 junior doctors are expected to walk off the job, which will affect all DHBs apart from West Coast District Health Board. More>>

Given the ambit of MBIE’s work, almost any form of social activity could qualify as being part of MBIE’s brief, so the privacy threats posed by this training programme are extensive. The current oversight safeguards seem threadbare to non-existent. More>>

ALSO:

‘Critique is no longer enough. If anything is to really change, we need to step away from the existing framework and take a first-principles approach to rethinking what will work for the 21st century.’ More>>